AFP: The international community is waiting for “concrete steps” by Iran before moving to improve relations with the country’s new government, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday.
Britain awaits ‘concrete’ steps by Iran: Hague
Easing sanctions no easy goal for Iran’s president
AP: Near Iran’s border with Iraq, work crews are putting finishing touches on a petrochemical plant expected to pump out hundreds of tons a year of oil-based products that the country hopes can slip through the net of Western economic sanctions.
U.S. senators urge Obama to take tough line on Iran
Reuters: In a pair of letters, Democrats Robert Menendez and Charles Schumer, and Republicans Lindsey Graham and John McCain, said Obama should use his U.N. speech to restate the U.S. goal of stopping Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability and demanding verifiable actions from Tehran.
US-Iran prisoners appeal to Rowhani
AFP: Supporters of two US citizens jailed in Iran appealed for their freedom Monday as President Hassan Rowhani arrived for the UN General Assembly, with one handing him a letter.
Pray for hostages – and their captors
ACNS: I have been reminded of this by the stories from Camp Ashraf in Iraq. Conditions have been very bad. In the very recent past it was raided, a significant number of people were killed and a number of others disappeared into captivity.
Message to John Kerry
Washington Times: From Capitol Hill to Brussels, supporters of the Iranian opposition are urging Secretary of State John F. Kerry to take action against Iraq for the massacre of 52 Iranian exiles by Iraqi gunmen. Thirty-four House members urged Mr. Kerry to cut funds for Iraq.
Fallacy of a moderate mullah
UPI: During his presidential campaign Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, brazenly boasted how skillfully he had deceived the Europeans Troika back when he was Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator.
Iran takes control of Bushehr nuclear reactor
AFP: Iran on Monday finally takes control of its civilian nuclear reactor at Bushehr on the Gulf coast, a project begun 35 years ago by Germany, wracked by setbacks, and finished by Russia.
Syria to cast shadow over U.N. meeting amid Iran hopes
Reuters: A slew of international crises will take center stage this week as the U.N. General Assembly gathers in New York – Syria’s bloody civil war, the possible appearance of Sudan’s president despite an arrest warrant for alleged genocide, and outrage over a massive U.S. cyberspying program.
Iran defiant over uranium enrichment rights
AFP: President Hassan Rowhani demanded Sunday that Western governments recognise Iran’s right to enrich uranium in any nuclear deal, ahead of his departure for key talks at the United Nations.
